Engelberg: 'Mountain of the Angel'Engelberg is situated in a pristine valley with meadows covered in wildflowers and mountains topped with snow. The city has changed much since its beginning as a Benedictine monastery. The city's main attraction now centers on the mountains that rise steeply from the valley floor. Skiing for families is located on the northern slopes, but thrill seekers head to the south and the intimidating Mt. Titlis slopes. Our group was able to ride the world's first rotating gondola and take in the 360 degree panoramic ride to the top. None of us were daring enough to go careening down the side of the mountain on skis. The most danger we encountered at the top was throwing a few 'bows to get our picture taken with cardboard cutouts of Bollywood superstars.
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About EngelbergLanguage: Swiss German Population: 4,155 Elevation: 3,323 feet Region: Obwalden in a rural area in the Uri Alps Nearest Mountain: Mt. Titlis, 10,623 feet Claim to Fame: Well known monastery, also featured in a Bollywood film |
Two Truths and a Lie in the City of the AngelAlthough we feared this game would be a bit lame, it provided quite an entertaining and informative evening. Charlie and Martin were definitely the Rowan and Martin of our group and could have filled the entire session with their own creative stories. We did find out a bit about the true personalities that we had the pleasure of traveling alongside. The group discovered that Jim had helped to design the Seattle Space needle and that Fere had not designed her own line of cosmetics, although her complexion was impeccable. We were impressed to learn that our group was filled with an abundance of powerful women. There were company vice presidents, lawyers, and three college professors (two of which were in the field of mathematics). Kris was a camera operator who had worked with Tom Hanks and filmed several seasons of How I Met Your Mother. The most unbelievable fact was that Joanne had traveled to over 66 countries and was departing for several more at the end of our tour. It was a fun and informative evening that bonded our group even more tightly together.
This was the friendliest group with whom we have traveled. We enjoyed the continuing antics of Charlie and Martin, learned the ‘must’ places to travel to, saw beautiful paintings by Fere, and spent many evenings in impromptu dining with many new friends. We get updates from time to time about the best place to purchase a raclette maker in the US and how a revisit by Joanne resulted in a fabulous encounter with a fog free Matterhorn. We are jealous about the west coasters who were able to make it to the reunion in Edmonds, meeting up for another ‘family dinner’, and hope that some day we will travel together again. |
On Top of Mt. TitlisOverlooking the village of Engelberg is Mt. Titlis. The world's first rotating gondola takes you on a scenic ride to the top. At the peak, there is plenty of snow to make snow angels, an amazing ice tunnel through a glacier, and even the ultimate Bollywood photo-op (provided you can throw enough 'bows to get to the front of the line). The Titlis Cliff Walk, the highest suspension bridge in Europe, dangles from the side of the mountain over a 1,500 foot chasm. Although most of our group felt that this was an adventure not to be missed, Jody needed to push herself way out of her comfort zone to have her photo taken a few feet out onto the bridge. White knuckle time, baby!
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Engelberg Abbey: The Heart of Religion in the City of AngelsReligion was central to the beginnings of Engelberg as the town sprang up around the 12th century Benedictine abbey. The town and abbey have changed much since that time. The once flourishing monastery has dwindled to a mere 20 monks. The residents follow their passion and we can see the fruits of their labors. A present monk fills the monastery’s gardens with beautiful flowers, while a previous monk left his mark on the monastery with intricately inlaid wood carvings. These masterpieces include images of famous biblical characters lining the walls. His greatest accomplishment is an amazing table inlaid with scenes from the life of Jesus. As one might expect, the monastery produces cheese and Kris brings some for our group to enjoy while we play two truths and a lie.
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